New Home Sweet Home- June 10, 2007

Well, it has been a few weeks since our last post- that's what happens when you re-enter the real world by buying a home and engaging in employment discussions. We closed on our home last Friday and have begun to move in although we will be spending the rest of the month between the cabin in Rhododendron and Portland. The photoshow we had up on an earlier post has expired so we'll have to get new pics to post- for now, here are outside views of the front and rear of the house!

Official move in will happen in later July after we return to Connecticut for a visit and haul our stuff back to Oregon (that is, Susan and Aris, haul our stuff back- Stephen will be flying first class!!)

Our new home is beautiful and has a pool table and two guest rooms so Chez Ristau is now open to all you easterners who'd like a taste of the great Northwest!! Already, we have commitments from Ty, Jen, and Abby Tessitore in later June, Aris and Stacie in later July, and Mom and Ray Ristau in September. Make your reservations now!!!

It hasn't been ALL about the real world- we found time to visit Bonnie Eaton (Toni Bloom's sister) and her husband Gari Whelon in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island over Memorial Day weekend and had a great time grogging at an English pub...

took some great hikes along waterfalls and wild flowers ...

where Susan did some "natural" drumming.

We also visited the world-famous and spectacularly beautiful Butchard Gardens in Victoria...

Later that day, Stephen encountered PlasterMan, a street performer along the Victoria waterfront.

The next week, with the snows atop Mt. Hood fast melting, we hiked around Trillium Lake one day...

and the next, to the top of Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain which we last climbed with friend Butch ("The Sherpa") Etre in the summer of 2005.

These were two of the best days of the early summer season after which, anticipating the closing on our home in a couple days, Susan asks Stephen "...tell me again, WHY are we moving into the city?!" More on that in our next post.

Enjoy!!